Hosts serving several guests
If ice cream is the shared dessert, start with the total tub volume and the number of people likely to want a scoop. Check that the tubs will fit in your freezer before lunch.
Who is buying for?
Hosts planning a smaller dessert
A smaller tub can make sense for a few diners or as a second flavour alongside pudding. Check its volume rather than assuming that any tub will serve the whole table.
Hosts managing dietary needs
Choose from the exact product label, not a familiar flavour or a brand name. Ingredients and precautionary allergen statements differ between tubs; keep a separately chosen option and utensils apart where cross-contact matters.
What should you check?
Decide how ice cream fits the Easter lunch menu, then check tub volume, the exact label and the storage directions.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Tub volume | Compare the volume in ml or litres across the tubs you are considering. Check any stated serving size against your guest count; volume alone does not establish a portion count. | I need enough to offer a scoop to several people. Tesco Groceries lists 900 ml and 2-litre options, while a smaller tub may work better as an extra flavour than as the only shared dessert. |
| Dessert style | Decide whether ice cream accompanies pudding or fruit, or is served on its own. Check the flavour and any chunks, sauce or other inclusions on the particular tub. | There is already pudding on the menu, so I may want one tub to serve alongside it. For a smaller table, a tub with inclusions could instead be the dessert itself. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients and precautionary allergen wording on each pack. A vegan or dairy-free description does not, by itself, settle suitability for a particular allergy. | Someone at lunch needs a separate option, and I want to check that product’s label and serving arrangements before putting it on the table. |
| Frozen storage | Check freezer space and follow each pack’s storage and refreezing directions. The Magnum, M&S and Joybuy Ben & Jerry's product information cited here specifies storage at −18°C. | I want the tubs ready for dessert without leaving them out through the meal or assuming thawed leftovers can go back in the freezer. |
Common buying mistakes
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Assuming every tub is enough to share widely
A smaller flavoured tub may run short if it is the only ice cream for a larger lunch.
Work out the volume you need for the table before deciding whether to add a smaller tub for variety.
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Relying on a flavour bought before
Ingredients and precautionary allergen wording can differ between products and change over time.
Read the physical pack before serving, including any ‘may contain’ statement relevant to your guests, and manage separate servings where needed.
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Treating the online listing as the final label
The tub you receive carries the information needed to check its ingredients, storage directions and date marking.
Use listings to narrow your choices, then check the pack itself when it arrives and again before serving.
Brand and retailer references
These ranges illustrate different tub formats; check the particular product rather than treating a brand or retailer as a guarantee of size or dietary suitability.
Tesco
Tesco Groceries lists ice-cream tubs across several sizes, including 900 ml and 2-litre options.
- A useful place to compare labelled tub volumes within one retailer.
- Check the individual product and your local shopping options before planning around a particular tub.
M&S
M&S lists 500 ml ice-cream tubs as well as other frozen-dessert options.
- Its range offers choices for a smaller dessert or an additional flavour.
- Its 500 ml Heather Honey ice cream contains milk and egg and is marked unsuitable for people with a nut or peanut allergy; check each product separately.
Häagen-Dazs
Tesco Groceries lists Häagen-Dazs flavours as smaller-tub choices.
- A route to consider when adding another flavour rather than relying on one large tub.
- Check the selected tub’s volume and current pack labelling for your guests.
Ben & Jerry's
Ben & Jerry's describes its tubs in terms of chunks and swirls; Tesco Groceries lists 465 ml examples.
- Consider the format when a smaller, inclusion-filled flavour fits the dessert plan.
- The ingredients and allergen statements need checking on the exact flavour and pack, not across the brand as a whole.
Magnum
Magnum lists a 440 ml Double Salted Caramel tub with a labelled 100 ml serving size.
- The stated serving size can help when planning a smaller dessert.
- That product contains milk and soya and has further precautionary allergen wording; read its current pack before serving.
Joybuy tub options
These Joybuy listings include larger tubs for sharing, a smaller caramel tub and a plant-based option to check for a separate serving. Choose by the volume and flavour that fit your lunch, then check the pack for dietary and storage details.
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Mackie's of Scotland Traditional Real Dairy Ice Cream, 2 × 1 litre
Two 1-litre tubs give you a 2-litre total for a shared dessert. Estimate how much to serve from your guest count, and check the exact packs for allergens and storage directions.
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Carte D'Or Madagascan Vanilla Ice Cream Dessert, 900 ml
A 900 ml vanilla option to consider for sharing or serving alongside another pudding. Check how that volume fits your table; it does not establish a number of portions.
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Windy Bank Strawberries & Cream Tub, 900 ml
A 900 ml strawberry-and-cream choice for a shared dessert. Check the pack’s allergen information and its warning that E124 and E102 may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.
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XO ICE Mango and Coconut Plant-Based Gelato, 473 ml
The 473 ml plant-based tub is a smaller option to assess for a separate serving. It contains coconut; check the exact pack’s ingredients and precautionary allergen wording rather than assuming that plant-based means suitable for every allergy.
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Ben & Jerry's Caramel Chew-Chew Ice Cream, 465 ml
A 465 ml caramel flavour to consider for a smaller table or alongside a larger tub. Do not count on it as the sole ice cream for several guests without checking your serving plan and the pack’s allergen information.
Questions about serving ice cream
How much ice cream should I buy for Easter lunch?
Start with the number of diners and any serving size stated on the tub; there is no fixed portion count for every volume. Tesco Groceries lists 900 ml to 2-litre options to consider for a shared dessert, while a smaller tub may be enough for a few people or serve as an additional flavour.
Can I use a brand’s usual allergen information?
Use the current ingredients and allergen statement on the exact pack instead. Different flavours can have different ingredients and precautionary wording, and product information can change.
Is a vegan or dairy-free tub suitable for someone with a food allergy?
The description alone cannot establish suitability for a particular allergy. Check the tub’s current ingredients and precautionary allergen wording, and use separate serving utensils where cross-contact is a concern.
What should I do with the tubs before and after serving?
Follow each pack’s frozen-storage and refreezing instructions. Magnum, M&S and Joybuy Ben & Jerry's product information cited here specifies −18°C storage; the cited M&S and Joybuy products also say not to refreeze after thawing.